The Irritation Alleviation
by Geeky Blue Strawberry
Summary: Sheldon has another itchy brain and the only cure is more Amy. One-shot.


**Author's Note: After a month and a half of fluctuating inspiration, writer's block, and annoying perfectionism, I present to you my first ever Big Bang Theory story! Sheldon and Amy are my babies and all I can hope for is that I did them some semblance of justice. It's set sometime after season 7/early season 8 (though I didn't try too hard to fit it in anywhere specifically, so, sorry if it seems a little AU). **

**I'd like to give a shout-out to my little sister who so graciously read through for me and helped out with the final editing - much appreciated!**

* * *

><p>The itch in Sheldon's brain started off as much a nuisance as any other.<p>

The origin, however, remained a mystery to him at first. It rendered him incapable of implementing a course of action to rid himself of the thing and, over time, it slowly morphed into a smouldering coal that nestled deep in the recesses of his mind. The resulting burn radiated through every passing thought that ran though his head. By the time Sheldon deduced the cause and subsequent cure for his mental malady a few days later, the irritation had become unbearable. And though said cure gave him a host of other untoward bodily symptoms, he needed more than anything to be rid of the infernal prickling. And he could not hope to extinguish it without... her.

_That little minx_.

Sheldon mentally berated himself for putting this upon himself. Thinking back, he knew what he was getting into last Thursday night as he stepped in front of his girlfriend, one Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, to deliver his Date Night kiss. Sheldon had accepted the terms of the amendment for these Date Night kisses with some outward reluctance. In truth, even though the change was frightening for him, another part of him was secretly glad for the revision. He found, despite initially imagining a host of bacteria parading between them, that exposing his mouth to hers for an extended period of time wasn't as repellant as he had so long feared. And the after effect was surprisingly pleasant - not unlike sipping from a hot cup of tea on a cool day.

Of course, he could never let Amy know. Boy, what a battle for his pride that would become. He'd never hear the end of it.

Dr. Sheldon Cooper might be one of the most brilliant minds to grace the modern scientific community, gifting the world with previously unfounded answers to the myriad secrets of the universe, but that apparently couldn't stop him from succumbing to some of the baser urges of his endocrine system. Accepting this discovery, he managed to take the change in stride. It worked out rather well - he was able to give Amy some of what she wanted while taking the time for himself to become comfortable with such regular intimate contact.

After several months worth of Date Nights and the chaste kisses that followed, Sheldon had no reason to imagine that this most recent would be any different.

The dishes from their meal were dutifully washed, dried, and put away, and the pair had spent the last hour watching a mutually agreed upon BBC television program. As the show ended and the time was noted, Amy rose from the couch to bring their tea mugs into the kitchen. Sheldon followed suit to put on his jacket and sling his messenger bag across his shoulder. He pulled out his phone, looking for a message from Leonard while she cleaned up, but seeing nothing, stuffed it back in his pants pocket and waited. Finally meeting him in the foyer, Amy stopped and stared up at him expectantly. Her gaze locked with his and a serene expression washed over her face. A small grin tugged at the corner of Sheldon's mouth. He eased forward to close the gap between them, placing a customary hand on the slight niche of her waist.

"Thank you for making dinner, Amy, and for hosting such an enjoyable evening." His grin widened, proud of himself for knowing the right thing to say and happily recalling the details of which he spoke. "The biscuits in particular were exceptional. They reminded me of Texas. Well, the good parts of Texas, few as those may be."

Amy smiled bashfully in return and replied, "You're very welcome, Sheldon. I'm glad you enjoyed them."

Nodding curtly, Sheldon dipped his head down without further ado to land his lips upon hers. The kiss was familiar, gentle and soft - _just like Amy_, he thought to himself. She had become the embodiment of comfort in a world that was so often fraught with unease and agitation. Sheldon inhaled slowly through his nose, reveling in her scent, waiting a few beats longer before pulling away.

Sheldon watched Amy's eyelids flutter open as his mouth left hers. He noted that her cheeks took on their usual rosy hue. Her forest green eyes sparkled as she grinned dopily to herself, staring somewhere into the middle of Sheldon's chest. Watching her, all of his senses still on overload in her presence, something shifted. A strange pull radiating from the spot to which Amy kept her gaze glued caused the hand at Sheldon's side to rise up, fingers slipping around the side of her neck and under the smooth, brown hair that fell over her shoulder. Her eyes widened as his thumb brushed feather-light up her jaw line. Inexplicably enchanted by the creature in front of him, Sheldon leaned down and aimed for her pink mouth again...

Amy gasped. Mere centimeters from his goal, he felt rather than heard the sharp intake of breath, the sound itself barely audible over the blood pounding in his ears which obstructed his normally impeccable sense of hearing. Sheldon froze. His face lingered close to hers - _too close_.

He blinked.

_Control yourself, Cooper._

Senses returning to him rapidly, Sheldon dropped both hands to his sides, taking a small step back. "I... um..."

Blinking rapidly, Amy blurted out, "Sheldon, it's ok, you don't have to..." Her voice trailed off as she reached out a hand to him, but Sheldon took another step back. He felt his heel knock into the door behind him - his escape. He needed to leave, needed to think, needed to gain back some semblance of control as various thoughts and emotions swirled together chaotically inside his head.

Sheldon gulped, wondering when his mouth had gotten so dry. "I should get going..." he started. His tongue darted out nervously to moisten his lower lip before continuing the attempt to rationally blow past his sudden behavior. _As if there's anything rational about this._ "Leonard is probably downstairs waiting."

But even as he said the words, Sheldon found that while the mind was eager and willing, the body was not. His feet were suddenly made of lead. _Oh lord, what fresh hell is this?_ He stared unblinkingly down at the woman before him, concentrating on manipulating his body to obey his commands.

Amy kept her gaze affixed to his, slowly lowering her arm and taking her own rather large step back, and said simply, "You're right."

Her rudy cheeks burned brighter than he thought possible as she kept still, waiting patiently. Sheldon sighed inwardly with relief. Even if her estrogen-fueled body betrayed her vastly intellectual mind from time to time, Sheldon was grateful for these moments that proved to him what a spectacularly clever move he'd made in making Amy Farrah Fowler his girlfriend. She always knew what he needed when he needed it most.

A soft buzzing filled the silent room.

Immediately grateful for the distraction, Sheldon reached into his pocket, extracting his phone and staring at the screen. He looked back up at Amy and said, "It seems as though I was correct. That would be Leonard."

Sheldon watched as Amy hunched in on herself in quiet resignation. A second later, she peered back up at him and flashed a quick, small smile. Fidgeting with the edge of her cardigan, Amy cleared her throat and said, "Well, best not keep him waiting. Good night, Sheldon."

"Good night, Amy," Sheldon responded. Seizing the opportunity that presented itself before him, Sheldon swiftly turned around, slipped through the door, and high-tailed it out of there.

It was on the ride home with Leonard that the itch had begun to take root. He hadn't understood why at the time, and it was barely a blip on his proverbial radar, so Sheldon listened to his friend detail the progression of his current experiment regarding the detection of gravitational waves, nodding and responding when appropriate.

Ten minutes and a lively debate over the next possible step for Leonard's experiment later, Sheldon found himself ensconced back in their shared apartment. He had tried ignoring the growing discomfort as he prepared for bed, still unable to determine the reason for its existence. He had slipped on his plaid flannel Thursday pajamas and tucked himself neatly under the covers, eager for a good night's rest. _This is what I need. Just a few good bouts of REM to settle this puppy down_, he had thought as he closed his eyes.

But rest proved to be a fickle beast that night. It had taken Sheldon far longer than usual to succumb to the alpha and theta brain waves that signaled the start of his sleep cycles. When exhaustion finally did overwhelm him, he had spent the remainder of the night in a light and fitful slumber. The next morning, much to his vexation, Sheldon had awoken with more of the same nonsense pressing in his mind, and so he had grumpily trudged through his morning routine, barely speaking to Leonard as they left for the University.

After a day full of unsolved equations, incessant inquiries regarding his emotional state from his friends, and a dissatisfying lunch made worse by a run-in with a particularly cocky and insulting Barry Kripke, Sheldon's frustration knew no bounds. Not one to use common phrases of the working folk, he had surprised himself by repeating the mantra just to get through the last couple hours of the day: _thank god it's Friday, thank god it's Friday..._

* * *

><p>Penny, oblivious to the troubles of her tall neighbor, became the unwilling recipient of one of Dr. Cooper's famous lectures on the importance of expedient laundering as she went back down to gather her clothes on Saturday night.<p>

_"Penny, aside from the fact that leaving your clothes unattended in a public laundry room facilitates the potential for any old hobo off the street to come in and rob you of your wardrobe, thereby spreading rumors throughout the hobo community that our building is prime real estate for future criminal behavior, but it also indicates to the other tenants that you have no regard for their rent-paying right to use said public laundering facility in a convenient and timely manner, not to mention causes a greater fire hazard for as long as you leave the dryer lint in its trapper. And furthermore..."_

She had put up with his outburst using a patience only knowing Sheldon for so many years could have accumulated, but Penny couldn't help but notice that he seemed a little more crazed and distracted than usual. He hadn't even bothered to pre-soak the shirt marred by a pizza grease stain from their earlier dinner. And now that she thought about it, Sheldon had been unusually quiet throughout their meal, as if he were concentrating on something the rest of them weren't privy to.

Leonard was reclined on her couch with his computer open on his lap as Penny reentered her apartment.

"Hey, sweetie," she started to ask, shutting the door behind her with her foot, "have you noticed anything off about Sheldon lately?" Penny headed toward her bedroom, laundry basket balanced on her hip.

Leonard looked up, his face contemplative. "I wondered if it was just me. This morning when I took a few extra minutes in the bathroom he didn't mention it at all, but when he had two tablespoons less milk for his cereal than he needed, he lectured me on the importance of proper grocery keeping even though I don't have anything to do with the stuff." He idly rubbed his stomach as he spoke. "I figured he just got a poor night's sleep. Why, is it something else? Did he say something to you?"

Penny's voice drifted out of her room along with the slams of her dresser drawers. "He didn't say anything was bothering him, but he had a fit because I left my laundry in the dryer. I thought he gave up lecturing me about that years ago."

Leonard set his laptop down on the coffee table and and joined her, watching as she nonchalantly threw her clean clothes into random drawers. "Do you think I should ask him if something's bothering him?"

Penny shrugged, tossing the now empty basket onto the floor. "He usually comes to one of us when something's wrong, but if this is the beginning of another one of his freak-outs, it's probably best to nip it in the bud," she said matter-of-factly.

Sighing heavily, Leonard knew that his girlfriend was right. If experience had taught him anything, it was that the longer they let this potential mysterious force fester in his roommate's mind, the bigger and more ugly the future meltdown would be.

"Alright, I'll talk to him tomorrow morning. It's already pretty late. And besides, this is supposed to be one of our nights together, and I intend to see that through," Leonard said firmly, chin jutting upward determinedly. Then with a spark of hope, he asked, "Feel like coming with me to talk to Sheldon tomorrow?"

"Hmm..." Penny smirked, sauntering over to his side and wrapping her arms around his neck. "What do I get in return?"

"How about the satisfaction of knowing you've done your community a great service?"

Penny's eyebrow shot upward.

"Or maybe a bottle of wine, if you'd prefer." Leonard grinned cheekily as Penny laughed and gave him a kiss.

"You've got yourself a deal."

* * *

><p>The itch would not stop plaguing him.<p>

Sheldon used the first day of his weekend trying desperately to figure out what wrong. So far as he remembered, there was no ruse upkeep he was expected to fulfill, no daily task gone incomplete; it wasn't like him to be so oblivious to the workings of his own mind, being the genius he was, and the frustration of it came out in bursts. By the time Sunday morning rolled around, Sheldon was so irritable that he decided to seek help from the woman across the hall. Penny had a way of pulling answers out of him that he could never hope to interpret or analyze on his own, loathe as he was to admit it.

Sheldon rolled out of bed, attended quickly to his morning routine, slipped on his robe, and found himself staring at the placard reading "4B".

_Knock knock knock. _"Penny."

_Knock knock knock._ "Penny."

_Knock knock knock._ "Penny."

The apartment door swung open a minute later, revealing a disheveled and sleepy version of his roommate clutching his own robe closed.

"Good morning, Leonard."

Leonard groaned, "Sheldon, what time is it?"

Sheldon peered down at his watch, rubbing his temple idly with his other hand, and answered, "It is currently 8:34am. I was hoping to speak with Penny. I assume she's in there with you?"

Leonard scrunched up his face in confusion and asked, "What do you want with Penny?"

Clasping his hands together behind his back, Sheldon's expression turned almost sheepish as he responded, "Well, Leonard, as you may have noticed, I have not quite been myself the last few days. I thought that speaking with her might shed some insight into what ails me." Sheldon dug his slippered foot into the hallway carpet and pursed his lips together, almost as if he were in pain, clearly uncomfortable with having to admit a weakness in his deductive abilities. "I'm sure your input couldn't hurt either."

Leonard took the briefest of moments to observe his fidgety best friend. It wasn't a physical display of affection, or even a compliment, but he knew that was Sheldon's way of telling him that his help and opinions were valued and appreciated. He would take it.

Nodding, figuring that now was as a good a time as any to get this over with and silently grateful that Sheldon had come to them of his own accord, Leonard stepped away to wake his still snoring girlfriend, leaving the path clear for the taller man to enter. A minute later the duo stepped back out. Penny shuffled over to the couch and plopped down, hand drawn over her eyes as she yawned, while Leonard wordlessly made his way to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. He had a feeling they'd need it.

"What is it, Sheldon?" Penny croaked.

Sheldon reached up to continue rubbing at his temple, willing away the persistent itch in his skull. When nothing changed, he heaved a sigh and started pacing, relayed his concerns to the couple before him. After so many years, they were familiar with the particular type of problem Sheldon was experiencing, so as a team they set about brainstorming for the cause.

"Is there an equation on one of your boards you didn't complete even though you know the answer?" Penny tried.

A throaty chuckle in response. "Yeah, no."

"Did you forget to pick up something you had on hold at the comic book store?"

An eye roll. "Honestly, Leonard."

"Maybe you forgot your weekly computer virus scan?"

An exasperated sigh. "Really? You think I don't have it and a back-up malware detection program set to run automatically?"

Sheldon became increasingly agitated as the suggestions flew, each one more outlandish than the last. How could they think he would ever forget those things? His eidetic memory and dedication to science and technology that constantly performed at optimal levels wouldn't allow for anything less. He knew his friends were doing their best to help, but today it seemed that their best was lacking. After an hour of increasingly useless ideas interspersed with a silence broken only by the sipping of coffee and his restless pacing, Sheldon threw his hands in the air with a strangled cry of "This is getting me nowhere!" and stormed out of Penny's apartment, yanking at his hair as he went.

Leonard and Penny stared at each other. They each looked as weary as the other felt, cradling the empty mugs in their hands. Dealing with Sheldon was just like taking care of a child.

"Well, we tried."

"I'll take that bottle of wine now."

* * *

><p>It wasn't until Monday evening when all of his friends were gathered at his and Leonard's apartment for Thai food that the proverbial light-bulb went off over Sheldon's aching head. And when it did, it dropped on him with the weight of a brick.<p>

Earlier that evening when Amy had arrived for dinner, Sheldon had fallen prey to another one of those weird, inexplicable mind shifts, much like the one that occurred during their last Date Night. He realized he hadn't seen Amy in person since then and wondered if her proximity had anything to do with the malfunctions his brain was experiencing. As he watched Amy take her seat and greet everyone, Sheldon had noted a very slight dimming of the burn that had become a constant. _Fascinating. _He hadn't felt that sense of relief when they had spoken via Skype over the weekend, so Sheldon concluded it must have had something to do with her physical presence. He had wondered what it all meant as he automatically returned her greeting and grabbed the mustard Leonard was holding out for him.

As the gang chatted over their shared meal, Sheldon found himself reminiscing on the first mysterious brain shift. He had shoved the experience into a dusty corner of his memory, too distracted by everything else to give it much thought. Now he pictured the moment in which it had first occurred: Amy, wrapped in stripes and wool and nylon, standing before him after a fantastically ordinary evening, the signs of their kiss evident in her features. She always looked that way after their Date Night kisses. Sheldon greatly enjoyed these last glimpses of her, reveling in a mixture of smug, self-satisfaction and appreciation for the blissful expression she'd wear. Any other night, after burning the image in his mind palace, he'd turn and make his exit. But this time, his hand had moved of its own accord as it sought the warmth of her neck and he hadn't been able to tear his gaze away from the happiness painted across Amy's face, her lips...

_I never finished kissing her._

Choking on a mouthful of rice, Sheldon's eyes bulged as he realized the implications of what his hind-brain would force him to do to achieve relief. It would have been laughably simple were it not so distressing. Amy, who sat in her designated spot next to him, clapped him a couple of times on the back while he coughed and sputtered, confused by his sudden outburst. Everyone paused what they were doing to watch them curiously.

"Are you alright?" Amy asked, flashing him a concerned look over her own container of curried chicken.

Sheldon smiled back weakly, swallowing the food in his mouth with a sticky gulp. "I'm fine, thank you," he muttered, and stared back down at the chopsticks in his hand, mind racing with a million unbidden thoughts, the cause and subsequent solution to ridding himself of his insatiable brain itch prominent among them. Sheldon tried to reign in this tidal brain wave as the conversation around him resumed.

Everything had been made clear in an instant and he could focus on nothing else in the physical world around him except for the woman seated inches away. He had set in motion a course of action that had not been seen through to completion. It was _torture_, and it was all his fault. All because he couldn't control himself. Sheldon groaned internally - the sooner he applied the solution, the better. Now that he knew, delaying the inevitable any longer would only further increase the burning, itchy sensation he'd come to loathe. Sheldon sucked in a few deep breaths to calm himself, then turned in his seat to face the woman at his side.

"Amy," Sheldon started. His voice was oddly pitched. Clearly interrupting the conversation Amy had continued with Bernadette, but days beyond caring, Sheldon cleared his throat and continued, "Could I please speak to you for a moment in my room?"

Amy stared back at her boyfriend, silently questioning him with a look. After a moment, seeing the seriousness of his request in his features, she replied slowly, "Sure..."

Together they put their take-out containers on the small table in front of them and rose from the couch. The conversations around them died again as everyone turned and watched the pair disappear down the hallway, Amy shuffling behind Sheldon's long, purposeful strides.

The sound of Sheldon's bedroom door closing rang across the silent living room.

And then Penny's squeal of delight pierced through the tension, causing everyone to turn their attention to the bouncing blonde in her seat.

"I can't believe I didn't think Amy had something to do with this!"

Leonard peered at his girlfriend through squinted eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Penny grinned animatedly and put down her own meal before she could drop it in her excitement. "Sheldon's problem! We didn't think to examine Amy as a potential cause because normally Sheldon isn't very subtle about asking for advice when it comes to her. He must not have known himself until just now. But the important part is that whatever cure he thought up," she said , picking up a dumpling with her fingers, "it involves Amy in the privacy of his bedroom!" Penny shoved the food in her mouth and leaned back, chewing happily.

Leonard raised his eyebrows and looked ahead thoughtfully, "That would explain a lot..."

"Hold on a minute," said Howard, shaking his head incredulously. "Do you mean to tell me that Sheldon just left his food where anyone could defile its integrity and took Amy into his bedroom for something... private?"

"Oh, that's so romantic!" Raj proclaimed from his spot on the floor.

Penny swallowed and chuckled wistfully as she clasped her hands together between her knees.

Bernadette giggled, peering at the empty seats beside her and then back down the hallway. "Looks like the Shamy train is greasin' the pig and picking up speed..."

* * *

><p>As soon as they were safely tucked away in his bedroom, Sheldon grabbed Amy and positioned her in front of him, replicating the position from the week before by pulling strands of her hair forward over her shoulder and the resting his other palm on her waist. Amy tried to ask what he was doing while bearing a look of confusion, but before any noise could escape her mouth Sheldon had pushed her chin back up to close it, causing her teeth to clack, and immediately pressed his lips hard against hers.<p>

_Oh, yes!_ The sweet, magnificent relief spread through Sheldon like wildfire. Its glory rivaled that of an aloe vera soothed sunburn after a trip to the zoo; the satisfaction greater than the resetting of countless dominoes to watch them uniformly tumble to the ground after being previously denied the pleasure; it was even more comforting than the sweet tooth cravings he had as a child abated only by the fresh-out-the-oven cookies his Meemaw would bake for him and him alone. Sheldon could hardly believe how utterly blissful kissing Amy Farrah Fowler felt.

_Wait._ Sheldon's eyes snapped open and he marveled at the woman whose face was currently melded to his own. Amy remained oblivious to his gaze, cheeks flushed so red he could practically feel the heat radiating from them. It occurred to him that he was enjoying their lip-lock for reasons that stretched beyond mere relief - and that in itself was frightening, since he had craved nothing but relief from his psychosomatic itch for days. But even as the thought swam across his consciousness, he felt himself grip Amy's waist a little tighter and her neck a little closer and he gently massaged her lower lip between his own. The tiny moan that vibrated from her throat confirmed Sheldon's hypothesis. He forced his body to relax, bending his tall frame over hers, switching the angles of their faces without breaking contact, this time teasing her upper lip. Amy's entire body relaxed against his in response. _This isn't so bad, _Sheldon thought to himself, eyelids rapidly growing heavy before shutting again, _if I can do this..._

His train of thought broke as he felt Amy's warm breath and teeth engulf his lower lip. At the same time, her hands gripped fistfuls of his shirt and she arched her body closer to his. _Nope!_ Before he could get _too_ excited, Sheldon sucked in a deep breath as he stood up straight, finally breaking their impassioned kiss, his lip smacking wetly as Amy reluctantly let it go. Her fists unclenched and sprang back to her own chest, and she glanced up into the darkened pools of Sheldon's eyes, her own shining brightly. "Oh, Sheldon..." Amy breathed. Then, hurriedly, as if he might run, she continued apologetically, "I shouldn't have done that. I know you don't like people touching you and I was just so caught up in the moment that I couldn't help myself."

She tried to retreat, but Sheldon held fast as he gulped, licked his swollen lips, and let the words spill out before he could over think them.

"I enjoyed that very much."

Amy's jaw dropped as she stared blankly back. Gathering her thoughts, she wondered out loud, "Then why did you stop?"

Sheldon decided it was a good time to disentangle himself from Amy's rather distracting form. Turning around and perching himself on the edge of his bed, he patted the seat next to him so she would take the hint. Amy cautiously moved to sit beside him, her questioning gaze intensifying. As soon as she settled, Sheldon dove right in and explained, "Amy, I need you to understand that you did nothing wrong." Her eyebrows rose, but she remained silent, so he pressed on. "As much as I have relished our intellectual compatibility, it is becoming clear to me that the other elements of our relationship are vying for more attention. I brought you in here to satisfy my mental need for closure..."

At this Amy stifled a throaty chuckle, and Sheldon shot her an impatient glare, well aware of his unintentional admission that she had him so well pegged.

"I'm trying to have a serious discussion with you, Amy."

"Of course, please, go on," Amy soberly replied, wiping the smile from her face. She knew how prideful her boyfriend could be and knew when to push and when to hold back. Right now he needed to feel safe, and so Amy subtly leaned away as she nodded encouragingly.

Sheldon dropped his gaze in quiet contemplation for a moment before deciding how to proceed. Clearly and concisely, he continued, "During our most recent Date Night, I briefly allowed my body to get the better of my superior intellect..."

The memory of Sheldon's unusual behavior, as well as her own surprise, was well ingrained into her memory, and Amy's curiosity was piqued for where her boyfriend was headed with his confession.

"...and I have been suffering greatly as a result. Only tonight was I struck with a sense of clarity on the matter. My need to kiss you stemmed from a mental quirk that yes, I do admit possessing, but..." Sheldon's tone softened, "...the truth is, contrary to what you or any of our friends may believe, having you in such close proximity is something I very much desire. I've grown to enjoy our physical displays of affection and to be honest, it scares me a little. It's just a lot for me to handle. It can get overwhelming and... I need the time to adjust."

Silence followed Sheldon's admission. Amy was so touched at his honesty that the multitude of sentiments that proclaimed how she felt in return, clamoring for escape, jammed painfully in her throat. Of course she knew that he needed space and time, which is what she always strove to provide, but that he would expose himself and confess his desire for her so frankly showed her just how much Sheldon was trying. It sent shivers down her spine and a warmth spread through her chest. She observed his expression, eyes still downcast and rapidly blinking. Recognizing this sign of nervousness in her boyfriend, Amy tilted her head slowly toward him so that he would look up. Once their gazes locked, her mouth widened in a gentle smile and she uttered, "I understand."

An entirely new sense of relief washed over Sheldon and he grinned widely, turning to face her more fully.

"Thank you, Amy."

_Good lord, you are magnificent._

Amy reached over to entwine her fingers with his and squeezed reassuringly. He returned the gesture, then made a split second decision and planted a quick kiss on the back of her hand. Almost immediately he let go and stood up, a reddish hue crawling up his neck as he walked toward the door. Sheldon recognized the paradigm shift that had just occurred. This new level of intimacy between them embodied the years of personal growth and sacrifice the two of them underwent together. For Sheldon, it embodied the conquering of his long-harbored phobias, the freeing of his suppressed bodily desires, and the newly recognized affection and love he felt for the vixen who tore down his robotic shell and carefully rebuilt it into something stronger without even realizing it.

_Woah now, hold on there, cowboy! Since when do you love Amy Farrah Fowler?_

His mental response was immediate. _Since now. _

He'd have to do some evaluating later.

For now, Sheldon grasped the doorknob and looked back at the still seated form of his girlfriend. "Come on, little lady. Our dinner is getting cold."

Amy stood and adjusted her skirt as he opened the door. As she stepped past him into the hallway, she smirked, muttering under her breath, "I always knew you liked kissing me, Dr. Cooper."

Sheldon followed, his gaze inexplicably drawn to the sway of her hips as they rejoined their friends.

_I knew I'd never hear the end of it._

* * *

><p><strong>I'd like to strengthen my writing skills, so constructive criticism is encouraged. Reviews in general will make my day. Thanks, and I hope you enjoyed!<strong>


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